Chapter Two
Beckett Tanner tried to focus on his workout but it was near impossible with the gorgeous trainer in the same weight room. He’d stared at her as he lifted and occasionally was rewarded with her meeting his gaze and gifting him with her incredible smile before she glanced away. The other woman with her had no such innocence, staring brazenly at him. Beck was used to that, being a well-known NHL player, the only heir to his eccentric grandpa’s fortune, driving a two-million-dollar, one-of-a-kind car, and being featured on far too many magazines claiming he was “the most eligible bachelor”, and other such bunk. All of this complied together had brought him more attention than he wanted from women of all ages. Just yesterday a fifteen-year-old had hit on him at a sandwich shop. He’d kindly told her he couldn’t go out with her because he was old enough to be her father. Not quite true, but the encounter had still made his stomach turn.
He focused on a lateral raise as Eve said goodbye to her nine o’clock client and started into a warmup with her ten o’clock training appointment. This client was a man, close to Eve’s age. A well-built guy who was probably attractive, if Beck were to classify another man as such. His eyes narrowed as the guy said something and she smiled sweetly, revealing slight dimples in those smooth cheeks.
Beck felt a possessiveness flair in him that was both unfamiliar and undesirable. He didn’t want to feel jealous when he hardly knew Eve, and the interaction between her and her client was most likely innocent. The guy brushed against her and Beck straightened, ready to throw gloves. Instead, he dropped to the mat and pumped out twenty pushups. It was better if he couldn’t see them but a light, tinkling laughter floated to him anyway, causing him to feel weak and hot all over. Eve’s laughter. He knew it as well as he knew his own hockey stick. Her laugh was as sweet and appealing as the rest of her.
He glanced up at the clock. Ten-forty. He wouldn’t mind lifting longer but he’d told Eve he’d be showered and ready to meet her for his tour at eleven. It would probably be better for him not to shoot daggers at the man Eve was training anyway. It wasn’t as if he had any right to be by her side.
Checking her position one last time, disappointment surged through him. She was so focused on her client, touching his back while he executed deadlifts, that she didn’t even glance Beck’s way. He knew trainers often touched their clients to remind them to keep proper form but he still didn’t like seeing Eve touch another man. He headed for the locker room, responding to some female greetings as he went, wishing Eve was simpering over him as so many other women did.
Looking around he was impressed with the clean, spacious locker room. There were various hot tubs, a steam room, and heated tile beds in the relaxation area. He headed for the showers, enjoying the private spacious shower with a therapy head. His shower at home was nicer but this wasn’t anything to complain about. Maybe he’d lift from nine to eleven-thirty every day until the regular season practices started in August. He could shower here and see if he could talk the beautiful Eve Jewel into lunch each day. It was early June so he’d have two and a half months to try to get her to fall for him before he had to be at practice and team workouts in Denver, not hanging out at the hometown gym.
He left the shower, got dressed, and looked at himself in the mirror. He was being a little obsessive about this woman that he didn’t even know—worrying about her laughing with another man, thinking how he’d talk her into dating him, planning his day around spending more time with her.
He straightened his shoulders and studied himself. His mom had taught him to be humble and not get too high on himself. She always used to say: “You’re blessed to be talented, smart, handsome, charming, and wealthy. And by darn you’d better be a humble hard worker too, or I willbreakyou.” He smiled to himself, thinking of her shaking her slim finger at him as she said it then laughing and hugging him, dissolving any concern of her claiming she’d “break him”.
He brushed his hair and his teeth and then stowed his stuff back in his locker, dropping his cell phone and wallet in his pants pocket.
He was Beckett Tanner. It was time he listen to his mom’s voice, stand up tall, and show this lady exactly who he was.
Striding confidently from the locker room, he spotted Eve standing alone across the open foyer of the gym, next to the stairs. She turned his way and her gorgeous smile lit up her blue eyes. He felt like he’d been slammed into the wall and somebody was jabbing their stick into his solar plexus. Beck was immediately humbled, ready to grovel for any attention she’d toss his way, and uncertain that any man on earth was worthy of such a woman. It wasn’t just her external beauty, she radiated a sort of calm and peaceful feeling that seemed to speak to his soul.
He stumbled across the foyer as if it were his first time on skates, but he was on solid ground. Reaching her, he smiled like a besotted sixteen-year-old. “Hey.”
“How was your workout?” she asked.
Completely pushing his luck, he rested his hand against the stair railing and leaned in closer to her. She looked up at him so sweet, so radiant, so incredible, he knew he had to get to know her. What good was being a successful hockey star and an heir to billions if he couldn’t date the woman of his dreams? He hadn’t even known she was the woman of his dreams until he saw her two hours ago.
“I struggled,” he admitted.
She leaned back against the stairs and stared up at him. Those blue eyes sparkled like sapphires. Did he know any poetry about blue eyes looking like precious stones? Maybe he could make something up about her being a jewel like her name. Would she laugh at him if he started spouting poetry? What was happening to him? His teammates would be laughing themselves silly if they knew his crazy thoughts.
“Why’s that?” she asked.
He wanted to touch her so badly, brush her long ponytail over her shoulder or touch the smooth skin of her cheek, but he knew he had to slow down. Simply because he thought she was incredible didn’t mean she felt the same. “There was this exquisitely beautiful personal trainer with the most intriguing blue eyes,” his voice was low and husky and she hardly blinked as she stared up at him. “She stole all of my attention and made it difficult for me to focus on my workout.”
Beck held his breath, hoping he had some favors left with his favorite guardian angels— his parents and grandmother. Hopefully they’d send some good vibes down from heaven and nudge Eve toward him.
Eve blinked up at him and then snapped her fingers. “Ah, Melissa is a doll.” She inclined her head toward the weight room. “Would you like me to introduce you?”
Beck leaned closer, inhaling her clean, sweet scent. “I amnottalking about Melissa,” he murmured. Didn’t she realize he couldn’t even see another woman with her filling up his every thought?
Her eyes traveled over his face and his hopes rose, but then she slid away from him and the staircase and walked toward the weight machines. “We’ll start our tour with the weight room. You seem to know your way around the equipment.”
Beck groaned but followed her. The tour was much quicker than he would’ve liked and Eve didn’t rise to any of the flirtatious bait he tossed out there. She was friendly but professional. They finished their tour back in the foyer near the staircase where it had started.
“Well, that’s it,” Eve said, spreading her hands. “Any questions?”
“Would you please to go to lunch with me?” he asked before he could stop himself.
Her eyes softened and warmed but just as quickly a shutter seemed to cover them. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I have a standing lunch date.”
His stomach dropped. “I can’t compete with this ‘standing lunch date’?” he asked bravely.
She gave him an almost flirtatious smile. “You’re cute, but nowhere near as cute as my lunch date.”
With that she headed for the stairs, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. “Thank you for choosing to join the Fitness Spot. We’re thrilled you chose to work out here and hope you’ll love our gym.”